niles elementary pta

Committee Chair

Smiti Anand

Event Date

Year Round

Committee Responsibilities

1. Program Planning & Structure

• Establish the format and guidelines for the Birthday Book Club (e.g., how students participate, how books are selected).

• Define eligibility (e.g., all students, specific grades) and whether participation is voluntary or opt-in.

• Set key dates for enrollment, book donation deadlines, and celebratory events.

2. Budgeting & Financial Management

• Set a budget for purchasing books, promotional materials, and any celebration supplies.

• Determine if there is a participation fee or donation requested from parents, and track payments.

• Manage the collection of funds and ensure accurate accounting for the program.

3. Book Selection & Acquisition

• Work with the school librarian or teachers to create a list of pre-approved books for students to choose from.

• Ensure books are age-appropriate and cover a range of reading levels and genres.

• Purchase books or work with parents to purchase/donate books for each student participant.

4. Promotion & Enrollment

• Promote the Birthday Book Club to parents and students through flyers, emails, newsletters, and social media.

• Send home enrollment forms and explain how students can participate.

• Set up an online or paper registration process to track participants and their birthdays.

5. Tracking & Organizing Birthdays

• Maintain a master list of student birthdays and their selected books.

• Organize the books by student and birthday month to ensure timely distribution.

• Coordinate with teachers or parents to deliver the books on or around the students’ birthdays.

6. Volunteer Recruitment & Coordination

• Recruit volunteers to help with book distribution, tracking, and birthday celebrations.

• Assign roles to volunteers, such as organizing books, delivering them to classrooms, and assisting with celebrations.

• Provide volunteers with guidelines for managing the program efficiently.

7. Celebration Planning & Coordination

• Plan birthday celebrations in the classroom, library, or designated area (optional).

• Organize any extra elements such as bookmarks, birthday certificates, or bookplates that recognize the student’s contribution to the library or classroom.

• Coordinate with the school to ensure celebrations follow school policies and are inclusive of all students.

8. Bookplate Personalization

• Create personalized bookplates to be placed inside each donated book, indicating the student’s name and birthday.

• Ensure bookplates are affixed to the books before they are given to students or added to the school library.

9. Communication with Parents

• Keep parents informed about the program, including deadlines for participation and options for book selection.

• Send reminders for upcoming birthdays or any missing details (e.g., book selections or payments).

• Provide updates on how the program is benefiting the school library or classrooms.

10. Library & Teacher Collaboration

• Work with the school librarian or teachers to manage the addition of Birthday Book Club books to the school library or classroom libraries.

• Coordinate with teachers to distribute books in a way that integrates with classroom routines (e.g., special reading time or a birthday announcement).

11. Acknowledgement & Recognition

• Create ways to recognize students who participate in the Birthday Book Club, such as displaying their names on a bulletin board or a special section in the school newsletter.

• Acknowledge students during morning announcements or in a special school assembly.

12. Program Evaluation & Feedback

• Gather feedback from students, parents, teachers, and volunteers to assess the program’s success.

• Identify areas for improvement or expansion (e.g., increasing participation, adding more book choices).

• Debrief with committee members at the end of the school year to discuss what worked and make plans for the following year.

13. Post-Program Reporting

• Provide a final report to the PTA board detailing participation, funds raised, and how the books were used in classrooms or the library.

• Offer suggestions for future enhancements to the program or new ideas based on feedback.

14. Sustainability & Long-term Management

• Ensure the program is set up for continued success by creating documentation of the process and guidelines.

• Recruit committee members for the next school year to ensure smooth continuity.

These responsibilities help ensure the Birthday Book Club operates smoothly, provides value to the students, and supports the school’s literacy efforts.

Volunteer Opportunities